Keepsake vs. Token — What's the Difference?

Something that one keeps because of the memories it calls to mind.

Something serving as an indication, proof, or expression of something else; a sign

Some object given by a person and retained in memory of something or someone; something kept for sentimental or nostalgic reasons.

Something that signifies or evidences authority, validity, or identity

(historical) Specifically, a type of literary album popular in the nineteenth-century, containing scraps of poetry and prose, and engravings.

A specific instance of a phenomenon or a class of things, as of a linguistic feature in a sample of a person's speech, that can be isolated for study or analysis.

Anything kept, or given to be kept, for the sake of the giver; a token of friendship.

A person who is considered as representative of a social group, such as a lone individual or one of a small number of employees hired primarily to prevent an employer from being accused of discrimination.

Something of sentimental value

A keepsake or souvenir.

A piece of stamped metal used as a substitute for currency

A small electronic device issued to a user to serve as proof of identity, as for the purpose of accessing a network.

A piece of software that serves as proof of the user's identity.

To betoken or symbolize; portend.

Done as an indication or pledge

Perfunctory; minimal

Being a product of tokenism; merely symbolic

Something serving as an expression of something else.

A keepsake.

A piece of stamped metal or plastic, etc., used as a substitute for money; a voucher that can be exchanged for goods or services.

A small physical object, often designed to give the appearance of a common thing, used to represent a person or character in a board game or other situation.

A minor attempt for appearance's sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement.

A member of a group of people that is included within a larger group to comply with a legal or social requirement.

Evidence, proof; a confirming detail; physical trace, mark, footprint.

Support for a belief; grounds for an opinion.

An extraordinary event serving as evidence of supernatural power.

An object or disclosure to attest or authenticate the bearer or an instruction.

A seal guaranteeing the quality of an item.

Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith.

A tally.

(philosophy) A particular thing to which a concept applies.

(computing) An atomic piece of data, such as a word, for which a meaning may be inferred during parsing.

(computing) A conceptual object that can be possessed by a computer, process, etc. in order to regulate a turn-taking system such as a token ring network.

(computing) A meaningless placeholder used as a substitute for sensitive data.

(grammar) A lexeme; a basic, grammatically indivisible unit of a language such as a keyword, operator or identifier.

(corpus linguistics) A single example of a certain word in a text or corpus.

(medical) A characteristic sign of a disease or of a bodily disorder, a symptom; a sign of a bodily condition, recovery, or health.

A livid spot upon the body, indicating, or supposed to indicate, the approach of death.

(printing) Ten and a half quires, or, commonly, 250 sheets, of paper printed on both sides; also, in some cases, the same number of sheets printed on one side, or half the number printed on both sides.

(mining) A bit of leather having a peculiar mark designating a particular miner. Each hewer sent one of these with each corf or tub he had hewn.

(mining) A thin bed of coal indicating the existence of a thicker seam at no great distance.

(rail transport) A physical object used for exchange between drivers and signalmen on single track lines.

(weaving) In a loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use.

(Church of Scotland) A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.

Done as an indication or a pledge.

Perfunctory or merely symbolic; done or existing for appearance's sake, or to minimally comply with a requirement.

(of people) Included in minimal numbers in order to create an impression or illusion of diversity, especially ethnic or gender diversity.

To betoken, indicate, portend, designate, denote

To betroth

(philosophy) To symbolize, instantiate

Something intended or supposed to represent or indicate another thing or an event; a sign; a symbol; as, the rainbow is a token of God's covenant established with Noah.

A memorial of friendship; something by which the friendship of another person is to be kept in mind; a memento; a souvenir.

Something given or shown as a symbol or guarantee of authority or right; a sign of authenticity, of power, good faith, etc.

A piece of metal intended for currency, and issued by a private party, usually bearing the name of the issuer, and redeemable in lawful money. Also, a coin issued by government, esp. when its use as lawful money is limited and its intrinsic value is much below its nominal value.

A livid spot upon the body, indicating, or supposed to indicate, the approach of death.

Ten and a half quires, or, commonly, 250 sheets, of paper printed on both sides; also, in some cases, the same number of sheets printed on one side, or half the number printed on both sides.

A piece of metal given beforehand to each person in the congregation who is permitted to partake of the Lord's Supper.

A bit of leather having a peculiar mark designating a particular miner. Each hewer sends one of these with each corf or tub he has hewn.

In a Jacquard loom, a colored signal to show the weaver which shuttle to use.

To betoken.

An individual instance of a type of symbol;

A metal or plastic disk that can be used (as a substitute for coins) in slot machines

Something of sentimental value

Insignificantly small; a matter of form only (`tokenish' is informal);